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Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts (July 17, 1674 – November 25, 1748) was an English preacher, hymn writer, and theologian whose calling from God within the Congregational Church transformed Christian worship and theology across the early 18th century. Born in Southampton, England, to Isaac Watts Sr., a clothier and deacon jailed twice for Nonconformist beliefs, and Sarah Taunton, he was the eldest of nine children in a devout dissenting family. Educated at King Edward VI School in Southampton until age 16, he declined an Oxford scholarship due to his Nonconformist stance, instead attending the Dissenting Academy at Stoke Newington (1690–1694) under Thomas Rowe, mastering Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Watts’s calling from God was affirmed with his ordination in 1702 as pastor of Mark Lane Independent Chapel in London, where he served until frail health forced his retirement in 1712, though he continued assistant duties under Samuel Price until 1748. His sermons, delivered with intellectual depth and evangelical warmth, called believers to a personal faith, often paired with his revolutionary hymns like “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Joy to the World,” published in works such as Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1707) and Psalms of David Imitated (1719). A prolific writer, he authored over 50 works, including The Improvement of the Mind (1741) and Logick (1725), shaping Dissenting education and worship. Never married, he lived with the Abney family at Theobalds after 1712 and passed away at age 74 in Stoke Newington, London, buried at Bunhill Fields.
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Isaac Watts preaches about believers being a garden wall'd around, chosen and made peculiar ground by God's grace, like trees planted by the Father's hand in Sion, where His springs flow to make the young plantation grow. He calls for the heavenly wind to blow on this garden of perfume, for the Spirit Divine to descend and breathe a gracious gale on the plants beneath, activating every grace like faith, love, and joy. The sermon emphasizes inviting Jesus to come and taste the pleasant fruits at His own feast, where believers are called to partake of the Tree of Life and experience the abundance of God's love.
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We Are a Garden Wall'd Around
We are a Garden wall'd around, Chosen and made peculiar Ground; A little Spot inclos'd by Grace Out of the World's wide Wilderness. Like Trees of Myrrh and Spice we stand, Planted by God the Father's Hand; And all his Springs in Sion flow, To make the young Plantation grow. Awake, O heavenly Wind, and come, Blow on this garden of Perfume; Spirit Divine, descend and breathe A gracious Gale on Plants beneath. Make our best Spices flow abroad To entertain our Saviour-God: And faith, and Love, and joy appear, And every Grace be active here. Let my Beloved come, and taste His pleasant Fruits at his own Feast. I come, my Spouse, I come, he cries, With Love and Pleasure in his Eyes. Our Lord into his Garden comes, Well pleas'd to smell our poor Perfumes, And calls us to a Feast divine, Sweeter than Honey, Milk, or Wine. Eat of the Tree of Life, my Friends, The Blessings that my Father sends; Your Taste shall all my Dainties prove, And drink abundance of my Love. Jesus, we will frequent thy Board, And sing the Bounties of our Lord: But the rich Food on which we live Demands more Praise than Tongues can give.
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Isaac Watts (July 17, 1674 – November 25, 1748) was an English preacher, hymn writer, and theologian whose calling from God within the Congregational Church transformed Christian worship and theology across the early 18th century. Born in Southampton, England, to Isaac Watts Sr., a clothier and deacon jailed twice for Nonconformist beliefs, and Sarah Taunton, he was the eldest of nine children in a devout dissenting family. Educated at King Edward VI School in Southampton until age 16, he declined an Oxford scholarship due to his Nonconformist stance, instead attending the Dissenting Academy at Stoke Newington (1690–1694) under Thomas Rowe, mastering Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Watts’s calling from God was affirmed with his ordination in 1702 as pastor of Mark Lane Independent Chapel in London, where he served until frail health forced his retirement in 1712, though he continued assistant duties under Samuel Price until 1748. His sermons, delivered with intellectual depth and evangelical warmth, called believers to a personal faith, often paired with his revolutionary hymns like “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Joy to the World,” published in works such as Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1707) and Psalms of David Imitated (1719). A prolific writer, he authored over 50 works, including The Improvement of the Mind (1741) and Logick (1725), shaping Dissenting education and worship. Never married, he lived with the Abney family at Theobalds after 1712 and passed away at age 74 in Stoke Newington, London, buried at Bunhill Fields.